Safety in your arms
by LadyBardock
Summary: Modern times. She is a daughter of a wealthy business man. He is a man with a bloody past. When blood is split in her home he will be the only person to help her. A bit funny, a bit sad, all in one, Rated M for adult themes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

He suddenly felt an additional warm weight on his chest. He reached his hand thinking it was his cover but his hands touch gently fluffy fur… He slowly opened his yeas and turned his head to look at the time. It was just before six o'clock. He looked at his chest and saw two bright yellow yeas looking back at him. He raised his hand and touched the head of the black cat, and was rewarded with a loud purr. The cat was rather big, not to say fat and extremely fluffy. He had no idea what type of cat it was, but it had cute yellow eyes and was completely black. He noticed something blue on its neck, which proved to be a collar. He sat and hugged the cat, for which he was rewarded with an even louder purr. "Missy Misaki"

"So your name is Missy?" He asked the cat gently scratching it. The cat purred back. "I guess it is." He flipped the sign with the name and noticed a phone number. "Come on, let's give your owner a call." He told the cat and she responded again. Soon he discovered how she got into his bedroom, he left the patio window open because of the heat, and she must have come from one of the neighboring properties.

"It's too early to call your owner Missy." He scratched the cat again. He headed for the kitchen. "What would you say for some tuna?" He asked and the cat meowed in response. "So you like tuna?" He asked and again a feline response. He took a look into the cupboard and fortunately one of the few cans he had was indeed tuna. He opened the can and put the tuna on a small plate. The cat was delighted.

He left the cat in the kitchen and decided to take a shower and go training. He took a look around his new house and kept thinking that he should finally buy some things for it. The little furniture he moved from his flat were definitely not enough to fill a big house. He had to do some shopping as well, and buy a pack of cat food just in case his neighbour liked morning visits. When he came out of the showed he noticed his visitor came back to the bedroom and was sleeping on his pillow. He put on his training clothes and went to his favorite room in the house. The room because of which he chose this house in the first place. His own Dojo.

* * *

"Gina have you seen Missy anywhere?" Kaoru asked her housekeeper just after she got up.

"No I haven't Miss." The servant replied. "She probably went on a stroll again…" The maid sighted.

"You're probably right…" The girl replied and went back to her bedroom to get a shower. She was really happy, the morning was nice and sunny, soon summer would start… And most importantly today was Sunday! This meant no school and training with her father.

Her father was a well known teacher of his own martial art style. He was the master of the Kamiya Kasshin style, created and passed down in her family for generations. They owned many martial art schools and clubs, and also organized several internationally known martial art competitions. It was in her blood to fight and train. Ever since she was a little child she would train with her father. When school wasn't so consuming and when her father had less work they would train every day. But ever since her father's business developed into a huge enterprise they only had Sunday mornings for continuing their tradition. During the week she would have to go to school, and two evenings a week she would teach the Kamiya Kasshin style in one of their schools, as she was the assistant master despite her young age. She liked those evenings a lot, they were part of a big charity campaign her father started in order to help children from poor families. They wanted to teach and show the way to develop and the Kamiya Kasshin style which meant to protect was the perfect tool.

She went out of her room dressed in her training clothes. She went to the kitchen and saw Gina prepare breakfast. There were some sandwiches on a plate. She grabbed one. "Has Missy shown up for breakfast?" The girl asked worried.

"No she hasn't, but don't worry Miss as soon as she gets hungry she'll come back in no time!" The servant laughed. She looked at the clock and noticed it was already seven. The girl smiled grabbed one more sandwich and ran to meet her father in the dojo.

* * *

He came back from his morning training to find the cat where he had left it. On his pillow. He smiled and went to take a shower, he dried his hair put on some trousers and went back into the bedroom. He looked at the time it was already ten. A good time to call and ask to whom the cat belonged. He approached the cat and gently lifted her. The cat woke up and purred to him. "Let's see…" He took out his mobile phone "651 654 731" he dialed the number.

Kaoru just entered the house when the phone rang. "I'll get it Gina!" She called and rushed to pick up.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hello" a male voice replied "I'm searching for the owner of a cat called Missy Misaki. I found her this morning in my house." The voice explained.

"Oh thank goodness!" the girl replied "I've been looking for her all morning! Where do you live? I'll come right away and pick her up!"

"I live in the East Housing Estate, 34 Fukiu Street." He said. "It's a big house in front there is a big tree and…"

"And a red swing! Well that's just next door! I'll be right there!" She said and hung up.

He looked at the phone surprised, "Well that was rather easy to explain..." He told the cat. "Maybe I should get a cat of my own" he scratched Missy again "It's really nice having someone to talk to…" He could swear the cat smiled as she meowed again. Before he knew it there was ring at the door.

He went to open with the cat in his arms. As soon as he opened the door he noticed a beautiful girl standing in front of him. They were both totally dumb folded. He vaguely noticed her training clothes and other details too concentrated on her deep blue eyes. She could only look at this naked chest to which her cat was hugged tightly. She looked up to notice two violet eyes looking straight at her. He was… She couldn't find the right word. Nothing could reflect his eyes, his red hair, his handsome face… and his chest all in one word. Suddenly the cat meowed again bringing them both back to earth.

"Thank you for calling!" she reached for the cat trying not to touch his chest at the same time.

"It's ok, I was a bit surprised to find her in the morning but she was a good companion" He replied.

"I haven't seen you around, the Toyamas used to live here before." She noticed.

"I just moved in a week ago." He replied. They began staring at each other again. She could feel her cheeks get red and suddenly she felt very uncomfortable. "Well thank you again for taking care of Missy! I better be going before my parents get worried!" She told him, but she just couldn't go, her feet were stuck there.

"No problem at all, that it was." He smiled warmly at her. She blushed even more and smiled back. She turned around and began walking home. Then she turned back and yelled. "I'm Kaoru! Just if you'd like to know."

"My name is Kenshin." He replied and smiled as she rushed home.


	2. Chapter 2

He watched her walk home and noticed that it was indeed the house just next to his. It was a bigger property then his, and the house was much bigger. He smiled remembering the girl's eyes and went back home. He decided it was a good time to make something for breakfast and maybe train some more.

* * *

She ran home quickly but with such a joyful look on her face that even Gina asked what happened. She murmured that she found Missy and quickly went to her room. She put the cat on the bed and patted her on the head. "So now you're hunting for muscular male chests instead of fish." She laughed at the cat and the cat meowed. That's why she loved her so much; this cat was her best friend. She loved to cuddle, she often "talked", but on the other hand she was getting quite fat because of her cuddliness. She kept asking for food until she got it, and no one in the Kamiya family could say no to her. Kaoru was a bit surprised Missy liked their neighbour, despite her tendency to go for long walks she rarely let strangers touch her. Not to mention carry her around and hug her. She looked the cat in the eyes and asked "Just what were you thinking my little wasp?" The cat meowed in response and Kaoru could only laugh.

She went into her bathroom to have a shower and looked into the mirror in horror. She met the cutest man ever and she looked like a total mess! She still had her training clothes on, some of her hair was flying loose around her face, not to mention that she was just after training and a sweaty… "No wondered he stared…" She sighted hopelessly and quickly took off her clothes and jumped into the shower.

* * *

It was mid afternoon when he finished doing all the things he could do in the house and began getting bored. During his first week he had lots of things to do, cleaning the house, arranging the furniture, doing the cooking and the laundry and of course training. Now he had trained all morning, he cooked himself breakfast and dinner, he cleaned the house and the laundry was already hanging to dry. He sat on a chair on the patio and looked at his garden. The previous owners took good care of the property. The garden was well kept and there were lots of trees and flowers. They must have even cut the grass just before he moved in, he sighted. After a moment he heard a loud meow and he noticed the cat from morning walking on his patio heading straight towards him. He smiled as the cat quickly jumped into his lap and cuddled to him and fell asleep. "Hey! If you sleep this much during the day, than what do you do at night?" He laughed at the cat, but the cat just put a pawn on her head and went to sleep. He looked at the cat attentively, and feeling its warmth and cool breeze of the wind he closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

He woke up two hours later, and was surprised to notice he didn't have a nightmare this time, he looked at the cat and she purred to him also awake. "Maybe I really should get a cat if this meant I could sleep…" He whispered and hugged the cat. "I bet your owner must be looking for you." He told the cat. "So maybe this time I'll bring you back myself." The cat meowed in response.

* * *

The day which started so perfectly was ruined. She sat on her bed hopelessly. She had plans for the day, she had already set up to met her friends at the cinema. But no… She had to stay home because her father was giving another business dinner and Kaoru as his daughter was expected to take part in it. Good that at least it wasn't a very official party, more like a barbecue for closest associates, but still she hated those boring meetings.

* * *

"Honey…" Her mother knocked on her door and come in. "Don't be mad at father, you know how he is. He has too little time to remember about telling us everything that is going on…" Her mother, a very kind woman, pleaded.

"I'm not mad…" Kaoru sighted. "I'm just disappointed." She replied. "Those meetings are just so boring, and I don't see the point why I should take part in them! I already had plans to go out with my friends…"

"Darling, I'm so sorry, but please go along with your father's wishes. You should get to know his associates and the business because one day you'll have to take over it." Her mother pleaded.

"I know Mom, but I just can't see how attending this meeting will help me with that." Kaoru replied heavily and went to her wardrobe to change into more appropriate clothes.

* * *

He came up to the door but before he could ring the bell, a plump woman in her mid fifties opened the door, looked at him and the cat, then grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house.

"So you're the boy Hiro sent to help me with the barbecue, good! I was beginning to get worried!" She pulled him to the kitchen. "Put the cat on that chair and give her some water and fish and let's get to work!" She smiled cheerfully. "By the way I'm Gina." She introduced herself watching him feed the cat. "My name is Kenshin." He replied.

"Nice to meet you Kenshin, now could you please take these plates and cutlery to the garden? Lady Kamiya will put them in order." She handed him the plated and pushed him towards the back door. Not knowing what to do he simply complied and did as asked.

He went into the garden and noticed a beautiful woman next to a big table set in the garden; she was setting a big vase with flowers. She had black hair and was wearing a traditional but simple kimono. Looking at her he had the feeling he had seen here before but before he could put more thought to it, she called him to place the plates on the table.

"Please put them over there," she pointed. "Thank you very much." She smiled warmly and he just nodded and went back into the kitchen.

As soon as he entered Gina pushed several plates with food at him and asked him to bring them to the garden as well. "The party is to start in less than two hours, and I still need to bake the cookies and prepare the meat. Hope Miss will get ready soon, otherwise we won't make it in time… I'm always the last person to be told about everything that goes on in this house…" He looked at her surprised and took two plates with salads into the garden.

"Kenshin what are you doing here?" He heard a voice from behind.

"Helping…" He gently put the plates on the table and looked around to see Miss Kaoru right behind him. He started at her, he thought she looked beautiful in the morning, but now… She was just perfect. She wore a nice black skirt just to her knees, showing her long and slim legs, and a blue kimono type tunic in the exact same colour as her eyes. He swallowed nervously.

"But why are you helping?" She inquired suspiciously.

"What's wrong my dear?" Her mother came up to them.

"I was just wondering how our new neighbour got involved into helping with our barbecue." She replied.

"Our neighbour?" Lady Kamiya asked.

"Neighbour?" Gina gasped while walking into the garden with some more treats.

"Well… I came to bring back the cat… And Miss Gina asked me to help so I did." He smiled.

"She asked you to help so you just did without even asking?" Kaoru pushed him up the wall.

"Well yes…" He smiled again. Kaoru and her mother and Gina just looked him not believing what they just hear. He just helped.

"Well that's very kind of you Sir." Lady Kamiya was the first to come to from the shock. "My name is Akemi Kamiya, and this is my daughter Kaoru, and our housekeeper Gina."

"We've already met Mom." Kaoru whispered.

"My name is Kenshin Himura." He introduced himself properly.

"Thank you for bringing Missy home, and for your help." Lady Kamiya said and smiled, she already found a liking to this young man.

"That was nothing." He replied and smiled again. "What else would you like me to do?" He asked kindly.

"Do you know how to start a barbecue?" Gina asked carefully, and seeing him nod she handed him a bowl of meat in some sauce and herbs. "The barbecue is over there." She pointed and went back to the kitchen.

"Kenshin you really don't have to…" Kaoru walked by him to the barbecue.

"It's not all a problem." He replied and started the fire.

She didn't know what to say, she just stared at him. "Thank you very much!" she finally gasped and went back to help her mother. She could swear that she heard Gina murmur under her nose that "it was unbelievable that they found a normal young man in those despicable times…"


	3. Chapter 3

„You finally showed up!" Gina told the boy sent by Hiro. "We had to ask our neighbor to help with the barbecue." She led the confused boy into the garden so that he could take over the cooking form Kenshin.

"Thank you very much Kenshin for helping." Gina told him forcing the boy called Kazuo to take over the barbecue.

"Mr. Himura please stay for the barbecue." Lady Kamiya approached him and smiled.

"I wouldn't want to impose myself…" He began apologetically.

"Since you've already helped so much, it would be strange that you wouldn't stay." Kaoru interrupted his excuses.

"Kaoru it's not nice to interrupt people." Her mother gently scolded her.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru trying to read her face and find out what exactly she was thinking, and seeing her slight blush and warm smile, he decided attending what seemed to be formal barbecue was something he could not escape.

"Since you put it that way Miss Kaoru I'll gladly join you. But you must excuse me for a while I should return home and change, otherwise I would not suit the occasion properly." He smiled at her warmly, and she blushed even more. Her mother looked at her daughter inquiringly, and decided she should keep an eye on this young man. If he could make their tom-boy daughter blush and he could afford a house in this neighborhood, not to mention his helpfulness, he could be just what she wished for her only child.

"Kaoru please accompany Mr. Himura and come straight back, there are still a lot of things to do before the guests arrive." Lady Kamiya asked politely and headed back to preparing the table.

Kenshin and Kaoru went to his home in silence, he watched her carefully from under his wild fringe and she had to look at the ground not to trip in her high heels.

"I should return shortly." He told her and bid her farewell with a smile and went towards his house. She stood there for a moment and kept wondering why did this man make her blood flow faster, and why did she feel so warm when close to him. She turned back home walking carefully not to break her leg just before the party. Her thoughts kept drifting to him, she had just met him this morning, and so she couldn't have fallen in love, could she? She wished she had more experience in love and other silly things, but being a tom-boy and training all the time, were not things which attracted boys. The only thing which attracted men to her was her father's money; she felt a cold shiver go down her spine, she hope that Dad didn't invite him again… Because if he did, even the presence of Mr. Himura could not turn this party into anything good…

Kenshin came back shortly before five, when the party was just about to start. Fortunately for Gina and Lady Kamiya none of the guests have arrived yet, so the last preparations could be made without hurry. As soon as Kenshin walked in Missy reminded herself of him and ran towards him meowing loudly. She began rubbing against his legs, and demanded he picked her up, which he did happily. Before he could walk towards the garden he noticed Ms Kaoru walking down the stairs. Their eyes met, and unfortunately for her she forgot all about her high heels. Unknowingly she took one more 

step and tripped badly. Kenshin rushed to her forgetting about the cat in his arms, as soon as he caught her, the cat cried in terror being squeezed between their bodies. Kaoru began laughing, Kenshin noticing her warm cheerful smile laughed with her. He helped her stand, and let go of the outraged cat. Missy totally insulted looked at them accusingly, and went up the stairs.

"She can really be a pain if she gets mad. She probably won't talk with us all day…" Kaoru laughed.

"What kind of cat is she anyway?" He asked.

"She's a Maine coon, that's why she's so big. I got her from my father for my birthday five years ago." She smiled at him and continued talking about the cat. She could not help but notice how he good he looked dressed all in black, with elegant trousers and a shirt and tie. He would fit in the party perfectly. Only his wild hair and its unusual color would set him apart from all the businessmen who would come for the barbecue.

They entered the garden and walked up to Lady Kamiya, she was sitting down and finally resting before the guests would arrive. They talked for a bit, but soon the first guest arrived. A moment after the bell rang Gina guided into the garden a very tall man in an elegant suit. He had short black hair and black eyes which widened in surprise seeing the people in the garden. He came closer and bowed to Lady Kamiya.

"You look beautiful Lady Kamiya." He greeted her formally. "Nice to see you again Ms. Kaoru." He nodded his head towards the girl. Then he looked at the last person. "Kenshin." He nodded.

"Aoshi." Kenshin responded.

"You know each other?" Lady Kamiya asked.

"Indeed we do." Kenshin smiled but did not say anything more.

"I would never expect to meet you at a party like this Kenshin." Aoshi turned to him.

"I never expected myself to be at a party as such, I did not." Kenshin replied still smiling.

Kaoru and Lady Kamiya exchanged surprised smiles between each other.

"Master Hiko would really be glad to learn you decided to take up your duties." Aoshi commented.

"He would be glad to hear it, that he would, but showing up here doesn't mean I decided to do his bidding." Kenshin replied.

"Indeed it doesn't." Then there was an uncomfortable silence.

Soon the bell rang again, and new guests were brought into the garden, so Lady Kamiya and Kaoru had to go and greet them leaving both men to themselves.

"So what are you doing here Kenshin?" Aoshi asked curiously.

"I'm just a neighbor invited to a barbecue." He replied smiling.

"Too bad you didn't warn me, I would have bothered coming here myself and I would have left all the work to you." Aoshi replied.

"What are the connection between Hiko and the Kamiya family?" Kenshin asked curiously.

"Hiko invested quite a lot into the Kamiya enterprise. I'm just here to make sure our relations stay proper." Aoshi noticed.

Soon more and more guests entered the garden and the party began for good. The food was served, music was playing in the background and people were talking. Kenshin watched Kaoru and her mother glide through the crowd of guests swiftly and confidently.

"She's quite pretty that Kamiya girl isn't she?" Aoshi noticed quietly observing Kenshin observing the girl.

"Indeed she is…" He replied quietly not letting his face show any emotion.

A moment later everything when silent and all faces turned towards the two men entering the garden. Kenshin gasped seeing who was also invited to the party. With the corner of his eye he noticed Aoshi stiffened and Kaoru froze, and her face filled with terror. Aoshi whispered "That is Koshijiro Kamiya and the man accompanying him is…"

"Makoto Shishio." Kenshin replied in whisper.


	4. Chapter 4

Both men slowly entered the garden, clearly they were in the middle of a heated discussion. Lady Kamiya approached her husband and took his hand, and called on Kaoru to greet the guest.

Kaoru slowly began walking towards the new guest but because of her nervousness she forgot about her uncomfortable shoes. She took a bad step and would have fallen to the ground but a warm arm saved her just in time. She looked at her savior, who saved her from making a fool of herself, and smiled seeing that it was Kenshin. His presence made her feel a bit better, and together they came up to the Kamiyas and Shishio.

"Lady Kamiya I must dare say no one would ever be able to think that you are the mother of Kaoru, you look more like her sister." Shishio smiled insincerely. Lady Kamiya replied curtly to the compliment and searched for Kaoru.

"My dear Kaoru you look magnificent." Shishio smiled towards the girl, but his smile immediately faded when he noticed how was holding her by the arm.

"Himura." He mumbled.

"Shishio." Kenshin nodded in reply.

"Father this is Kenshin Himura." Kaoru presented the man to her father. "Kenshin this is my dad, Koshijiro Kamiya"

"Nice to meet you Mr. Himura." Lord Kamiya replied, noticing the mad grin on Shishio's face and wondering who this man was.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Kamiya" Kenshin replied.

"Who would have thought you would come to such a fancy party Himura…" Shishio grinned.

"I did not expect it myself." Kenshin replied calmly. It was evident to everyone that Kenshin was calm and in control and Shishio was furious.

"We still have some unfinished business, if I recall correctly." Shishio's spiteful words confused Lord Kamiya.

"Indeed we do, but this not the place nor the time we should settle them." Kenshin replied not losing his temper.

"Why not?" Shishio grinned "There couldn't be a better place than this where there would be enough people to know what would be going on."

"That is if there would be any people around." Kenshin spat back.

"And I bet you would prefer them not to be there…" Shishio noticed venomously.

"Kenshin." He felt Aoshi's hand on his shoulder. Kenshin tightened the grip on Kaoru's arm.

"I see Hiko's second best dog is also here…" Shishio spat at Aoshi. Aoshi's eyes glanced with anger, but his face showed nothing.

"Lord Shishio we should not waste time for the likes of these people." Kamatari came up to Shishio. 

"And we wouldn't want to waste time for the likes of you either." Aoshi told them and waited for them to leave.

"Well well, such a handsome man but doesn't know how to treat a Lady… How can you stand him Sir Ken?" Kamatari asked the other man.

"His behavior would be totally different if he were in fact talking to a Lady." Kenshin noticed calmly putting stress on the word 'Lady'.

"Why you…" Kamatari gasped taken by surprise. "We should be leaving." And so they did, both furious.

"Bull's-eye Kenshin. But I bet most people didn't get the part about the Lady anyway…" Aoshi pointed out.

"It doesn't matter, it only matters that the right person knew it… That it did." Kenshin replied calmly.

"Good riddance I must say…" Lady Kamiya gasped. "Why did you invite him here anyway?"

She turned to her husband. "I didn't… That was the point of it all." Lord Kamiya noticed.

"I wish I would never see him again." Kaoru gasped still holding on to Kenshin tightly. Her father's careful eyes noticed the gesture.

"Unfortunately, as long as business requires we will have to see them." Lord Kamiya sighted. "Coming back to business what kind of unfinished business do you have with Shishio Mr. Himura?"

There was a dull silence. Nor Kenshin not Aoshi wanted to explain that further. Kenshin looked at Lord Kamiya and said only one thing "Unpleasant business." Lord Kamiya noticing Kenshin's unusually hard glare did not ask any more.

"So you are an associate of Mr. Seijuro?" Lady Kamiya asked not noticing the exchange of glares Kenshin and Lord Kamiya had.

"I was for a longer period of time." Kenshin replied not going into detail.

"But you are not anymore?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"No, I've officially retired." Kenshin smiled, and Aoshi grinned.

"So what do you do now Mr. Himura?" Lady Kamiya asked.

"To be frank - nothing." Kenshin's smile was even wider.

"Apart from cleaning, cooking, doing the laundry and helping people…" Aoshi laughed.

Everyone looked at him with surprise. 

"I find peace in simple things." Kenshin replied not taken aback.

"Well I must say your help today was invaluable. We wouldn't have made it in time for the party without your help." Lady Kamiya smiled sincerely.

"It was nothing. I'm always glad to help." Kenshin smiled back.

Despite the warming up of the atmosphere Lord Kamiya couldn't shake the feeling that his little girl got into the wrong company. His wife and daughter kept joking and talking with the two young men, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this Mr. Himura then they both had suggested. He decided to talk with Seijuro next time they met. Since he used to be one of former associates he must know more about him.


	5. Chapter 5

Seijuro Hiko had a new worry. First his best associate and pupil "retired", and now one of his other associates was determined to know more about the first. He still couldn't shake the disappointment Kenshin caused by simply walking away and saying he was retiring. And Hiko kept hoping that soon the boy will come back to his senses. His only heir should be doing what he should do, so either taking acre of the company or doing other things in its favor. "Retiring" was not the plans Hiko had for Kenshin at all, but for the time being he decided to play along and simply wait till the boy got bored…

"Mr. Kamiya there is really nothing more to say. He worked for me, and then he decided not to work anymore and simply left." Hiko told him.

"Don't be mad Mr. Seijuro, it's just a matter that I like to know my neighbors better…" Lord Kamiya replied.

"I'm not mad at all, there is simply nothing more to say about him. He's quiet, helpful and that would be all to say…" Hiko lowered his voice suggesting that was all.

* * *

But Lord Kamiya did not fall for it. He kept having this weird feeling that it was not all. After returning to his office he called on one of his employees. Earlier the same day he gave an order to check Mr. Himura and he was hoping some answers would be found.

"Mr. Kamiya there is not much on the guy." Iwao Shin replied handing in a small file. "He's 28 years old, born in Tokyo and that's all we could find about his childhood. He suddenly appeared near Seijuro Hiko around 13 years ago at the age of 15,since then Seijuro had paid for his education and sent him to the best schools. At the age of 21 he was officially registered as an employee of Japanese branch of Seijuro's company, and later transferred to the US for three years. He came back last year with a large sum of money and suddenly without warning stopped working."

"Is that all?" Lord Kamiya asked.

"Well … all of the official data we could get…" Iwao began hesitantly.

"But?" Lord Kamiya pushed him further.

"There are some rumors." Iwao nodded his head.

"What kind of rumors?" Lord Kamiya demanded.

"Well… Some say… And I do mean only some, and this is highly improbable information… only gossip really… " Iwao still hesitated.

"Get to the point." Lord Kamiya calmly scolded him.

"Well they say that he was adopted by Seijuro and will be his heir in the future." Iwao said that sentence as fast as a machine gun.

"His heir?" Lord Kamiya wanted to make sure.

"Well they say that Seijuro paid for the education of many poor children like, Aoshi Shinomori for example. But with Himura it was a bit different. The rumors are that he was more attached to this one of his pupils then to any of the others…" Iwao said. "But those are only rumors…" He said again.

Lord Kamiya sighed. "What about the other issue I asked you to investigate?"

"I have to all here. And you're not going to like it Sir." He handed a big file. "Your suspicions about Shisho were correct…" The discussion lasted for a long time, and with every passing minute Lord Kamiya felt all the problems of the world crash onto his shoulders.

"So you are sure Shishio took all that money?" He had to make sure.

"Yes, that's what the figures show." Iwao confirmed.

"Very well then, we should send a copy of our investigation to the DA and Tax officials." Lord Kamiya stated firmly.

"Mr. Kamiya… I would like you to reconsider for a minute.." Iwao began.

"Are you saying I should let him go unpunished?" Lord Kamiya asked.

"It's not that… It's just that we should be very careful. They say Shishio can be very… brutal if anyone opposes him. .. and that he had connections with the jakuza…." Iwao informed his employer.

"I'm aware of that, but there must be someone to stop him and punish him for his wrongdoings. And I'm willing to be that person even if it means hardship." Lord Kamiya stated firmly and the decision was final.

* * *

Kaoru was coming back from school, it was a long day and she had her least favorite lessons Math and Physics. She was tired and a bit annoyed because her car started making funny noises on her way back home. Their house was quite a long distance form school so her father got her a car last year, but recently, probably due to excessive use, the car had to be repaired quite often. She looked worried at her car, because the strange noise was getting louder and louder. Suddenly she heard a loud sound and the car began slowing down till if finally stopped. She looked at it not believing what just happened. She cursed and kicked her car with all her strength only to get an annoying pain in the foot. After several tries to turn on the car she gave up and wanted to call her father or at least a cab, but her battery was dead. She bowed her head down miserably, cursed again grabbed her bag and locked the car. This was going to be a long 8 kilometer walk home, so she put on her comfortable training shoes and began running a steady pace home.

He was coming back from town, where he had spent most of the day looking at furniture and shopping. He had to admit it. Hiko was right, he was getting bored. But that didn't mean he was willing to go back and be the person he used to be. To do the things Hiko made him do. He swore to himself that a situation like in the US would never happen again. He wouldn't let his guard down for anyone that was for sure, but he decided to take more drastic measures, leave the company, leave Hiko and his organization and lead a normal life. He had made enough money on the blood of Hiko's enemies to live a comfortable life. But that was not what he wanted, he was willing to prove he was worth more than another of "Hiko's dogs" as Shishio and other jakuza leaders would call them.

Lost in his thought he looked at the car parked just at the side of the road. That was strange, who would park a car in the middle of the forest? Not recognizing the car he drove on.

After 2 kilometers or so he saw Kaoru making her way home. He pulled over and said "It sure is a nice day for a long walk." He smiled.

She couldn't believe when a nice red sports car stopped to give her a lift. Not to mention seeing the person the car belonged to. She smiled widely and replied "Nice walk it is, but I'm rather short of time, at six I start my course in the Dojo and I still need to get home and eat some dinner." She told him and sat next to him in the car.

"So you work at your father's dojo?" Kenshin asked curiously.

"Well I wouldn't call it work. I volunteered to help children from poor families, to teach them the basics." She smiled.

"That's very noble of you Miss Kaoru." He told her warmly.

"Well I wish I had less school work so I could devote more time to my pupils, but the end of the school year is in three weeks so after that I'll go there at least four or five times a week." She explained.

"Do you like your pupils?" He asked smiling gently.

"Indeed I do, some are very annoying, and some are sweet and smart. I doubt most of them appreciate what I'm doing, but I have a great sense of achievement." She said enthusiastically.

The road home passed quickly and soon they went through security at the entrance of the estate and drove towards their houses. Kaoru couldn't shake the thought that it passed too quickly and she didn't feel like going home yet.

"Since you gave me a ride home, would you like to come in and join me for dinner?" She asked walking out of the car.

"I wouldn't want to be a bother…" He began.

"So it's settled see you in half an hour." She said enthusiastically completely ignoring that he was just about to decline. She smiled and ran home, and he just stood there smiling and trying to name the feeling that suddenly filled him. A feeling he never knew before, the feeling of acknowledgment.


End file.
